JP4217789B2 - Coin hopper equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hopper device for storing a plurality of coins which are small disk bodies in a stacked state and discharging the coins one by one.
In particular, the present invention relates to a coin hopper device with an auxiliary tank having an auxiliary tank for storing a large number of coins in a stacked state.
The term “coin” in the present specification includes, as a matter of course, a coin that is a currency and a small disk such as a game medal or token.
[Prior art]
[0002]
Various types of such coin hopper devices have been known.
For example, Japanese Patent Application No. 6-123019 (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-306965) by the present applicant shows a medium-sized coin hopper device.
This hopper device (see FIG. 2) includes a substantially trumpet-shaped tank means 21 for storing coins in a stacked state and means 22 for paying out coins.
Details of the tank means 21 are disassembled and shown in FIG. 3, and details of the dispensing means are disassembled and shown in FIG.
[0003]
A spiral spring 42 a is arranged in the trumpet tank means 21.
One end of the spring 42a is bent into a laterally long oval and is formed in a mounting portion 42d through which two screws 42c pass.
The other end of the spring 42a is bent so as to extend downward, and further bent into a ring shape to form a stirring portion 42e.
The attaching portion 42d is attached to an appropriate position inside the tank means 21 using a horizontally long II-shaped cover plate 42b and two screws 42c (see FIG. 2).
[0004]
Therefore, the stirring portion 42e below the spring 42a is positioned substantially on the upper surface of the disk 32 (see FIG. 4) constituting the payout means 22.
In other words, the stirring portion 42e below the spring 42a is positioned on the substantially upper surface of the disk 32 on the inner bottom of the tank means 21 that stores a large number of coins.
Thus, when the disk 32 is rotated, the coin on the inner bottom of the tank means 21 is moved and dropped into the guide hole 32a by the stirring portion 42e.
Since the stirring portion 42e of the spring 42a is positioned almost on the upper surface of the disk 32, all the coins on the disk 32 are paid out from the apparatus.
[0005]
In order to store a large amount of coins, for example, as shown in FIG.
The auxiliary tank 21A is roughly divided into a square cylindrical peripheral wall 21B and an inclined plate 21C that seals half of the lower opening.
Thus, the auxiliary tank 21A has a large opening 21D on the upper side and a small opening 21E on the lower side.
However, in this case, there is a problem that coins overlap each other at the connecting portion between the auxiliary tank 21A and the main tank means 21 to form a bridge.
[0006]
Specifically, there is a problem in that a coin made up of a large number of coins is formed between the peripheral wall 21B of the auxiliary tank 21A and the inclined plate 21C so that the coins do not fall.
In other words, there was a problem that coins were not paid out even though there were coins in the tank.
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
An object of the present invention is to prevent a coin bridge from being formed at the connecting portion between the auxiliary tank and the main tank means.
In other words, the problem is that a bridge formed by a large number of coins is formed between the peripheral wall of the auxiliary tank and the inclined plate, so that the coins do not fall.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention provides a payout means for releasing coins one by one;
A cylindrical main tank disposed on the payout means for storing the coins to be paid out;
There is a downwardly inclined plate located directly above the payout means, and the inclined plate forms an opening smaller than an upper large opening on the side of the lower end, and the small opening is an opening at the upper end of the main tank. A cylindrical auxiliary tank disposed in a stacked relationship on the main tank so as to communicate with
A stirring shaft that penetrates the bottom wall of the main tank so as to extend upward, and is rotated by the driving means of the discharging means,
A spiral stirring member is attached to the tip of the stirring shaft, which is located on the side of the inclined plate through the small opening of the auxiliary tank and is eccentric with respect to the stirring shaft. It is a coin hopper device.
[0008]
The present invention, the stirring means, the screw through a spring stirring shaft rotating is coin hopper device characterized that you have installed at a predetermined angle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing an embodiment according to the present invention. A large square in the lower part of FIG. 1 is a pair of leg frames 1 constituting a coin hopper device, and a rectangular substrate 2 is horizontally fixed above these leg frames 1.
[0009]
A slightly large rectangle in the lower part of FIG. 1 is an electric motor 3, and the electric motor 3 is attached to the lower surface of the substrate 2 through a thick plate-shaped gear box 4.
The gear box 4 has a first rotating shaft 5 and a second rotating shaft 6.
The first rotating shaft 5 passes through the substrate 2 in a rotatable manner, and a disk 7 for paying out the coin C is attached to the tip end portion thereof.
In other words, the disk 7 for paying out coins C is rotatably disposed on the upper surface of the substrate 2.
[0010]
A substantially trapezoidal shape in the center of FIG. 1 is a main tank 8 having a substantially square trumpet shape, and a small opening at the bottom surrounds a rotatable disk 7 and is attached to the substrate 2.
Therefore, the main tank 8 has a large opening 9 on the upper side.
A slightly large rectangular shape in the upper part of FIG. 1 is an auxiliary tank 10 having a rectangular tube shape.
The auxiliary tank 10 has a lower opening edge firmly attached to an upper opening edge of the main tank 8 by an uneven biting structure.
The auxiliary tank 10 includes a square cylindrical peripheral wall 11 and an inclined plate 12 that seals half of the lower opening.
[0011]
Three sides of the rectangular inclined plate 12 are coupled to the inner surface of the peripheral wall 11 and the remaining bottom side forms part of the opening.
Accordingly, the auxiliary tank 10 has a large opening 13 on the upper side and a small opening 14 on the lower side.
Of course, the second auxiliary tank 15 may be attached to the opening 13 above the auxiliary tank 10 in the same manner as described above.
The main tank 8 and the auxiliary tanks 10 and 15 are preferably made of transparent resin.
[0012]
The second rotating shaft 6 of the gear box 4 penetrates the substrate 2 in a rotatable manner, and a long stirring shaft 16 is attached to the tip of the second rotating shaft 6.
The stirring shaft 16 passes through the bottom wall 8A of the main tank 8 to be rotatable.
Further, the stirring shaft 16 has a length whose upper end is located near the opening 9 of the main tank 8 in other words, the small opening 14 of the auxiliary tank 10.
Further, one end of a spiral spring 17 whose center is bent is fitted on the tip of the steel stirring shaft 16.
[0013]
The other end of the spring 17, that is, the front end, is fitted with the original end of a slightly longer resin or rubber screw 18.
【Example】
In the present embodiment having the above-described configuration, a large amount of coins are stored in a stacked state in the main tank 8 and the auxiliary tanks 10 and 15 to drive the electric motor 3.
When the electric motor 3 is rotated, the coins C are discharged from the hopper device one by one by the disk 7 rotated as shown on the left side of FIG.
[0014]
On the other hand, when the stirring shaft 16 is rotated via the gear box 4, the screw 18 rotates on the inverted conical surface above the small opening 14.
Therefore, even if a large number of coins C try to form a coin bridge between the peripheral wall 11 and the inclined plate 12, the coins 18 are destroyed by the screw 18.
As a result, the coin hopper device can discharge coins smoothly without interruption, in other words, without interruption.
In the case of the embodiment of FIG. 1, it is needless to say that the rotation start of the disk 7 and the rotation start of the stirring shaft 16 can be synchronized via the gear box 4.
[0015]
In this case, since the coin movement in the upper part and the coin movement in the lower part in the main tank 8 are simultaneously performed, the coin is smoothly moved.
Of course, when the auxiliary tanks 10 and 15 are stacked in multiple stages and a large amount of coins are stored, a driving means separate from the electric motor 3 may be used.
Of course, the spring 18 can be lengthened and the screw 18 can be omitted.
It was also found that the stirring ability varies depending on the bending angle of the spring 17, and that the stirring ability increases when the bending angle is increased.
[0017]
Needless to say, the screw 18 may be formed in a rod shape or an L-shaped thick wire.
Needless to say, the stirring ability is different when the spiral shape of the screw 18 is changed.
Accordingly, the speed of the first rotating shaft 5 and the speed of the second rotating shaft 6 are of course determined to the best stirring efficiency in consideration of these conditions, for example, the bending angle of the spring 17.
【The invention's effect】
[0018]
The present invention as described above can prevent a coin bridge from being formed in a small opening below the auxiliary tank by adding a simple structure.
For this reason, according to the coin hopper device of the present invention, it is possible to obtain a great effect that a large amount of coins can be continuously and continuously discharged.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing an embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a conventional example.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a main part of FIG. 2;
4 is an exploded perspective view showing a main part of FIG. 2; FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
C: Coin,
Dispensing means ... 3: Electric motor, 4: Gear box, 7: Disc,
Cylindrical tank means 8: main tank, 8A: bottom wall,
Stirring means: 6: second rotating shaft, 16: stirring shaft, 17: spring, 18: screw.

Claims (1)

A payout means ( 7 ) for releasing coins one by one;
A cylindrical main tank ( 8 ) disposed on the payout means for storing the coins to be paid out;
The has a downward slope plate positioned directly above the dispensing means (12), a large aperture (13) than the small opening of the upper on the side of its lower end by the inclined plate (14) is formed, this small the A cylindrical auxiliary tank ( 10 ) disposed in a stacked relationship on the main tank so that the opening ( 14 ) communicates with the opening ( 9 ) at the upper end of the main tank;
A stirring shaft ( 16 ) that penetrates the bottom wall of the main tank so as to extend upward and is rotated by the driving means of the discharging means,
A spiral stirring member ( 18 ) that is positioned on the side of the inclined plate through the small opening ( 14 ) of the auxiliary tank and eccentric with respect to the stirring shaft is attached to the tip of the stirring shaft. A coin hopper device.

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